hei3 sik1氣息气息
Jyutpinghei3 sik1
Yalehei sīk
Definition
Breath or breathing; also a flavor, scent, atmosphere, or characteristic of a place or thing.
- flavor; scent; atmosphere; characteristic
- breath; breathing; signs of life
neutraldescriptions
How it's used
Refers to the intangible vibe, atmosphere, or distinct character of a place or person rather than a literal taste. It is often used to describe a sense of nostalgia or a specific cultural quality that permeates an environment. While it can mean breath in a medical or literary sense, in daily life it is almost exclusively used for abstract qualities.
Measure word
zung3種jungExamples
This shop has a strong vibe of old Hong Kong.
Do you feel like there is an artistic atmosphere here?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe the literal flavor of food, as that would be 味道 or 味道. Learners often confuse it with the Mandarin usage which can sometimes be more literal regarding physical air or scent.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
